The Agria FEI Eventing European Championships is taking place in the grounds of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Blenheim Palace on 18 to 21 September. The annual CCI4*-S for eight and nine-year-old horses will run alongside the Euros.
This will be the first senior eventing championship to be held in Britain since Blair Castle in 2015. Britain has previously hosted the event on 11 occasions, including at Blenheim 20 years ago when Zara Phillips (now Tindall) won individual gold and William Fox-Pitt took individual silver. The British team won gold. We hope the weather will be kinder than it was on that occasion.
Blenheim is on the edge of the market town of Woodstock, around nine miles north-west of Oxford and has held its prestigious autumn CCI4* fixture since 1990, as well as championships.
How to get to Blenheim
By plane: London Luton (58 miles-plus)
By train: Oxford, Oxford Parkway and Hanborough, after which you need to take a bus/taxi.
Parking: free in main car park; you can pay to upgrade for closer access.
Where to stay near Blenheim
There are plenty of hotels and B&Bs, from low-budget to luxury, in nearby Woodstock (one mile), Kidlington (2.5 miles) and Oxford (nine miles). Camping and glamping options are also available on site. Check out our guide to where to stay near Blenheim for more details.
Things to do nearby
The palace, which was the birthplace of prime minister Winston Churchill and is the only palace in England not associated with the royal family, will be open during the event. It is well worth a visit, with stunning tapestries in its stately rooms, a 1.8-acre hedge maze and a butterfly house. It’s been used as a location for many films including Black Beauty, Harry Potter and Spectre 007, so see if you can spot where the scenes played out.
Woodstock, less than a mile away, is home to the Oxfordshire Museum, which details the county’s history from the Jurassic period through to the Victorian era. Plus, this Georgian market town is a stunning place to stroll around, with independent shops, cafes and galleries.
If you love to shop, make sure you visit the famous designer outlet centre at Bicester Village, 25 minutes away.
For culture-vultures, Oxford is one of the most fascinating cities in the country, with the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology (Britain’s first public museum), the world-famous Bodleian Library, a 1,000-year-old castle and former prison, botanic garden and covered market to enjoy.
How to follow the European Eventing Championships action
After an enjoyable day of watching the eventing, you won’t want to miss our interviews with the top riders, analysis of the action and beautiful photography capturing the highlights. To read without limits you’ll need to sign up for a Horse & Hound website subscription, which gives you instant access, wherever you are, from as little as £1 a week. Sign up now
You may also be interested in:
Places to stay near Blenheim so you don’t miss any of the eventing Europeans’ action
Your guide to Blenheim European Eventing Championships tickets if you want to be there to see the action in person
World’s top three riders named on British long-list for European Eventing Championships
Could these be the breakthrough stars of this year’s European Eventing Championships?
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